Many medical procedures utilize an endoscopic medical device to visualize tissue contained within a patient during the medical procedure. Typically, medical procedures of this type are minimally invasive, and the ability to remove materials in the operating area with suction and/or irrigation is desirable. For example, nephroscopic or uroscopic procedures can use suction and irrigation.
Current designs of devices for providing suction during an endoscopic procedure have various problems. For example, some designs require the debris that is removed from the site of the operation to travel through valves, and related conduits, that contain sharp angles (e.g., 90 degree angles). Also, some designs require valves to be manufactured with close tolerances between parts, increasing the cost of the valve and the overall medical device. Known devices have other problems as well.